Constitution class
4 Shuttlecraft 8 Work Bees| altimage= | |}} The Constitution class is a type of starship used by Starfleet in the mid to late 23rd century. History The history of the development began in the 2230s, when many Starfleet officers started to believe that an all-purpose vessel was needed that could explore space, but also protect Federation space. The key supporters of the development of the Constitution-class were Admiral William M. Jefferies and Captain Robert April. By the late 2230's Dr. Lawrence Marvick and his design team had completed plans for the Constitution, and these were quickly authorized by Starfleet Command. Originally, Starfleet granted the application that two vessels be constructed, the NX-1700 and the NX-1701, at the San Francisco Fleet Yards. Admiral Jefferies was charged with overseeing the construction of the Constitution, while Captain April was assigned to supervise the construction of the unnamed NX-1701. (''TOS'' novel: Final Frontier). By 2244, construction of the hull of the Constitution were completed and many systems were installed, including enhanced sensor systems and deflector shields. In late 2244, Admiral Jefferies took the Constitution out of drydock and raced to the Donatu system where she played an important part in the Battle of Donatu V. The Constitution rescued the [[USS Yorkshire (Icarus class)|USS Yorkshire]] and managed to repel the Klingon invasion force even without weapons. Unfortunately, the Constitution was badly damaged in the battle and the repair work was extensive. (TOS novel: Errand of Vengeance, #2: Killing Blow). ]] By late 2244, construction on the NX-1701 had reached a similar level to the Constitution. The NX-1701 also benefitted from the new duotronic computer system that had been designed by Professor Richard Daystrom, which allowed the NX-1701 much greater control of her systems. Following a top secret mission into the Romulan Neutral Zone, Captain April decided to christen the NX-1701, the ''USS Enterprise''. (TOS novel: Final Frontier). By 2245, both the Constitution and the Enterprise had been launched on five-year mission' of exploration, and had impressed Starfleet Command so much that 9 more vessels be constructed. (''ST'' reference book: Star Fleet Technical Manual). The design was highly successful. Aside from a number of refits the design itself did not undergo any major changes until the 2270s. It was decided then that the Constitution class design needed a total refit. The first vessel to undergo such a refit was the USS Enterprise. Following a successful refit of the Enterprise, the rest of the fleet underwent a major refitting program bringing the ships in line with more modern technologies and extending the life of the class even further (''ST'' reference book: Starship Spotter). At least one Constitution class was in service into the late 24th century where it was destroyed in the Battle of Wolf 359 (TNG episode: The Best of Both Worlds), and others remained in service, or were reactivated, to serve in the Dominion War (''ST'' reference work: Star Trek: Fact Files). :The Star Trek: Fact Files list the Constitution class as being amongst the classes involved in the task force to retake Deep Space Nine At least one Constitution class starship was decommissioned and sold to a private entity. This vessel, which later became known as the Glory was acquired by Romulans, who then gave it to the privateer Deigo DeBlazio to harass Federation shipping. (TNG novel Blaze of Glory). Subclasses * Constitution-class (mk I) ** (mk II) ** (mk III) ** (mk IV) * ''Enterprise''-class (mk I) ** mk II ** mk III Tactical summary The Constitution vessels of the original series had slightly different features than the succeeding subclasses Bonhomme Richard, Achernar, Tikopai and Enterprise, with early laser and phaser weapons available to security teams onboard as hand-held weapons, as well as ship-mounted emplacements, in concert with accelerator cannons and photon torpedo launchers. The Constitution vessels of the 2240s and 2250s began the use of the class's standard emplacements, with forward arcs of fire. Most early Constitution variants had 6 phasers, usually dual mounted, in 3 or more phaser banks, although some variation exists between the various subseries. For example, the one modifications of the Enterprise modification had a series with 8 phasers in 4 banks. (RPG sourcebook: Federation Ship Recognition Manual) Starships of the Bonhomme Richard modification, such as the Enterprise, had forward firing phaser banks that could fire beams or pulses, located on the lower saucer section, just above the sensor dome and a torpedo launcher. The Defiant was noted to use, with dramatic effect, its rear firing phaser and torpedoes located above the secondary hull's shuttlebay, as well as the upper saucer banks. (TOS, ENT) Some vessels of the Achernar series, like USS Constitution had port and starboard upper saucer phasers as well as a forward firing phaser on the lower saucer, as well as upper and lower saucer torpedo tubes. All of the Achernar series weapons were forward or side firing, leaving the rear arc uncovered. (Reference book: Star Fleet Technical Manual) The Enterprise subclass, with one more launcher than the preceding series, had a move in the torpedo launchers to an outrigged tub control room at the separation between the secondary hull and the connecting hull. By subsequent Enterprise modifications, the rear arcs had been restored. (TOS films) Features When the first Constitution class ships were built they were the largest and most elaborate vessels Starfleet had ever constructed affording the ships room for an unprecendented fourteen research labs, making the class the most extensive mobile research platform ever sent into space by the Federation. Consitution class ships were responsible for expanding the area of explored space by thousands of cubic parsecs. (''ST'' reference book: Starship Spotter) The Constitution class featured a level of modularity never before seen in Federation starships, but something that was so successful that it was soon spread throughout the fleet and it continues to be standard design practice to have modular design in starships. The modular nature allowed incremental changes in vessel configuration to occur with relative ease making the class highly flexible. It also resulted in an increasingly uniform fleet design in Starfleet as other classes made use of the components. (''ST'' reference book: Starship Spotter) en-route to Starbase 13 following a saucer separation.]] The Constitution class was also one of the first to feature saucer separation. Though this early version was only for use in emergency situations as it utilized explosive bolts to complete the separation and subsequently required starbase facilities to reconnect the separated sections (TOS manga: 'Til Death). It was not until the Galaxy class a century later that saucer separation became a routine maneuver (TNG episode: Encounter at Farpoint). Known vessels Various Constitution configuration * * * (NCC-4200) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ''Constitution'' (mk I) * (NX/NCC-1700) * (NCC-1701) * (NCC-1001 or NCC-1705) * (NCC-1017) * (NCC-1371 or NCC-1373) * (NCC-1631 or NCC-1708 or NCC-1831) * (NCC-1647 or NCC-1702) * (NCC-1664 or NCC-1705) * (NCC-1672 or NCC-1706) * (NCC-1702 or NCC-1711) * (NCC-1703 or NCC-1707) * (NCC-1703 or NCC-1709) * (NCC-1704 or NCC-1717) * (NCC-1704 or NCC-1717) * (NCC-1709 or NCC-1718) * (NCC-1710) * (NCC-1764) * (NCC-1691) ''Bonhomme Richard'' (Constitution mk II) * (NCC-1712 or NCC-1776) * (NCC-956 or NCC-1719 or NCC-1738) * (NCC-1704) * (NCC-1705) * (NCC-1713) * (NCC-1714 or NCC-1778) * (NCC-1715) * (NCC-1715) * (NCC-1717) * (NCC-1718) * (NCC-1716 or NCC-1777 or NCC-1895) * (NCC-1719 or NCC-1727) * (NCC-1720) * (NCC-1720 or NCC-1724) * (NCC-1721) * (NCC-1721 and NCC-1734) * (NCC-1723) * (NCC-1722 or NCC-1724) * (NCC-1725) * (NCC-1725) * (NCC-1726) * (NCC-1017 or NCC-1728) * (NCC-1729) * (NCC-1631 or NCC-1730) * (NCC-1731) ''Achernar'' (Constitution mk III) * (NCC-1732) * (NCC-1727) * (NCC-1733) * (NCC-1734) * (NCC-1735) * (NCC-1736) * (NCC-1736) * (NCC-1737) * (NCC-1738) * (NCC-1739) * (NCC-1740) * (NCC-1741) * (NCC-1742) * (NCC-1742) * (NCC-1743) * (NCC-1744) * (NCC-1744) * (NCC-1745) * (NCC-1746) * (NCC-1747) * (NCC-1748) * (NCC-1749) * (NCC-1749) * (NCC-1750) * (NCC-1750) * (NCC-1751) * (NCC-1751) * (NCC-1752) * (NCC-1753) * (NCC-1754) * (NCC-1754) * (NCC-1755) * (NCC-1756) * (NCC-1757) * (NCC-1758) * (NCC-1759) * (NCC-1759) * (NCC-1760) * (NCC-1760) * (NCC-1761) * (NCC-1762) * (NCC-1763) * (NCC-1764) * (NCC-1765) * (NCC-1765) * (NCC-1766) * (NCC-1767) * (NCC-1768) * (NCC-1769) * (NCC-1770) * (NCC-1771) * (NCC-1772) * (NCC-1773) * (NCC-1774) * (NCC-1775) * (NCC-1776) * (NCC-1777) * (NCC-1778) * (NCC-1779) * (NCC-1779) * (NCC-1780) * (NCC-1780) * (NCC-1781) * (NCC-1782) * (NCC-1783) * (NCC-1784) * (NCC-1785) * (NCC-1786) * (NCC-1787) * (NCC-1788) * (NCC-1789) * (NCC-1790) * (NCC-1791) * (NCC-1791) * (NCC-1792) * (NCC-1792) * (NCC-1793) * (NCC-1794) * (NCC-1795) * (NCC-1796) * (NCC-1797) * (NCC-1798) * (NCC-1798) * (NCC-1799) ''Tikopai'' (Constitution mk IV) * (NCC-1800) * (NCC-1801) * (NCC-1802) * (NCC-1803) * (NCC-1804) * (NCC-1805) * (NCC-1806) * (NCC-1807) * (NCC-1808) * (NCC-1809) * (NCC-1810) * (NCC-1811) * (NCC-1812) * (NCC-1813) * (NCC-1814) * (NCC-1815) * (NCC-1816) * (NCC-1817) * (NCC-1818) * (NCC-1819) * (NCC-1820) * (NCC-1821) * (NCC-1822) * (NCC-1823) * (NCC-1824) * (NCC-1825) * (NCC-1826) * (NCC-1827) * (NCC-1828) * (NCC-1829) * (NCC-1830) * (NCC-1831) * (NCC-1832) * (NCC-1833) * (NCC-1834) * (NCC-1835) * (NCC-1836) * (NCC-1837) * (NCC-1838) * (NCC-1839) * (NCC-1840) * (NCC-1841) * (NCC-1842) Various Enterprise configuration * (NCC-1704) * (NCC-1707) * (NCC-1725) * (NCC-1766) * (NCC-1804) * (NCC-1813) * (NCC-1966) ''Enterprise'' (mk I) * (NCC-1732) * (NCC-1733) * (NCC-1735) * (NCC-1752) * (NCC-1753) ''Enterprise'' (mk II) * (NCC-1716) * (NCC-1726) * (NCC-1730) * (NCC-1731) * (NCC-1740) * (NCC-1741) * (NCC-1743) * (NCC-1772) * (NCC-1773) * (NCC-1775) * (NCC-1781) * (NCC-1782) * (NCC-1784) ''Enterprise'' (mk III) * * (NCC-1745) * (NCC-1774) * (NCC-1783) * (NCC-1785) * (NCC-1793) * (NCC-1794) Mirror universe *[[ISS Constellation|ISS Constellation]] *[[ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)]] *[[ISS Excalibur|ISS Excalibur]] *[[ISS Yorktown|ISS Yorktown]] Appearances The Constitution class appeared as the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) and (NCC-1701-A) and a handful of other vessels throughout TOS and other TOS subseries including TAS and the Early and Untold Voyages in all media. Appearances, apart from the Enterprise in TOS and related series include: * Harbinger (VAN novel) * In a Mirror, Darkly (ENT episode) * Interphase (SCE eBook) * Reunion (TNG novel) * Star Trek: Judgment Rites (TOS game) * Star Trek: Klingon Academy (TOS game) * Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (TOS game) * The Brave and the Bold: The First Artifact (TOS novella) * The Best of Both Worlds (TNG episode) (seen briefly as wreckage) * The Captains' Honor (TNG novel) * The Doomsday Machine (TOS episode) * The Omega Glory (TOS episode) * The Tholian Web (TOS episode) * The Ultimate Computer (TOS episode) * The Wounded Sky (TOS novel) * These Are the Voyages... (ENT episode) * Trials and Tribble-ations (DS9 episode) * Worf's First Adventure (TNG:SA novel) Connections * Category:Federation starship classes Constitution class Category:Mirror universe